Michael John Rogers
Encyclopedia
Michael John Rogers (5 October 1932–10 October 2006) was an English
ornithologist
and Honorary Secretary to the British Birds Rarities Committee
.
Born in Sutton Coldfield
(then in Warwickshire
), England
, the only child of the head brewer
at Ansells Brewery, Birmingham
, he attended King Edward's School, Birmingham
. He joined the West Midland Bird Club as a Junior Member in 1946 and quickly established himself as one of the region's keenest birders. He spent his National Service in the Army Intelligence Corps. In 1958 he joined the Metropolitan Police
. In 1981 he retired, as a detective sergeant, from the force and a few years later moved firstly to the Isles of Scilly
and then, in 1987, to Cornwall
. He suffered a mild stroke
in 1991.
In 1978 he became the Sussex Ornithological Society's bird recorder. For many years he wrote the Rare Birds in Great Britain reports that appear annually in British Birds
. He also founded ACRE, the Association of County Recorders and Editors, in 1993 and then took on the responsibility of being its secretary.
He was briefly married in the 1950s. He had no known children. A smoker, he died of lung cancer
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
and Honorary Secretary to the British Birds Rarities Committee
British Birds Rarities Committee
The British Birds Rarities Committee , established in 1959, is the national bird rarities committee for Britain. It assesses claimed sightings of bird species that are rarely seen in Britain, based on descriptions, photographs and video recordings submitted by observers...
.
Born in Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
(then in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
), England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the only child of the head brewer
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
at Ansells Brewery, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, he attended King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
. He joined the West Midland Bird Club as a Junior Member in 1946 and quickly established himself as one of the region's keenest birders. He spent his National Service in the Army Intelligence Corps. In 1958 he joined the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
. In 1981 he retired, as a detective sergeant, from the force and a few years later moved firstly to the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
and then, in 1987, to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. He suffered a mild stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1991.
In 1978 he became the Sussex Ornithological Society's bird recorder. For many years he wrote the Rare Birds in Great Britain reports that appear annually in British Birds
British Birds (magazine)
British Birds is a monthly ornithology magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust , established for the benefit of British ornithology...
. He also founded ACRE, the Association of County Recorders and Editors, in 1993 and then took on the responsibility of being its secretary.
He was briefly married in the 1950s. He had no known children. A smoker, he died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.